Are they puffing smoke?

[grags]

I recently ordered a new mandolin on line and inquired whether or not they did any setup on the instrument prior to shipping. I was told that they do a "nice" setup but remove the bridge before shipping. My response was that I considered setting the intonation as part of a basic setup and questioned whether removing the bridge didn't defeat that purpose. They didn't respond to that but did say they removed it because more than 50% of the time the top was damaged in transit if the bridge was left installed even though it is shipped in the original hard case. Now, I can setup the bridge just fine on my own, but this response tends to make me think that they never really touch the instrument and their claim of doing a "nice" setup is not quite truthful. Anyone else heard of such a thing?

[Dub Martin]

I can't speak for the quality of the setup that was done but were it my instrument, I'd want the bridge (with height left per setup) wrapped in cushioned plastic and placed in the accessory compartment with some bubble wrap. I'd know as soon as I set the bridge in place and tune it up whether a quality setup was in fact performed.

To ship the instrument with full tension on the strings presents a very high risk that the headstock will break off the neck in transit. To reduce the string tension for shipping as one does with an acoustic guitar risks the bridge being knocked loose in transit and making gouges in the top of the instrument and possibly damaging the bridge as well.

If you've never set up a mandolin, take it to someone who has and ask them merely to place the bridge and tune the instrument, nothing more. That shouldn't cost you more than a few bucks.

[david blair]

It is common practice to ship with the bridge removed. Set up is something every player should learn, because NO ONE else will take the time you will to get it right.
It's a good idea also to consider humidity of the origin and destination. Many showrooms are maintained with a humidifier, and a sudden change of climate and/or temperature can cause a top to crack! If yours is a dry environment then using a sea sponge inside the case and the case inside a trash bag works. Gradually reduce humidification then for the first year. I live in the mountains and have seen many new instruments crack.

Whatcha' gettin'?

[david blair]

Chinese wisdom?
I am open to consider the values.

Bruce Molsky said that staying physically fit is an important part of his success as a fiddler.

KungFu mandolin?

[scrubber]

Chinese wisdom?
I am open to consider the values.

Bruce Molsky said that staying physically fit is an important part of his success as a fiddler.

KungFu mandolin?

This was a response to a 'spammer', since deleted!

[ScottB]

Spammers are working overtime just to flood a BB with posts linkin to sites that regular forum members will never click. Their activity stems from hits resulting from web surfers using the Google and Yahoo search Bots that are usually logged on to our forum.